


The Promise

by Treon



Category: White Collar
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 03:44:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1013686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treon/pseuds/Treon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after 4x16.  Neal does not intend to let Peter go to jail.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Round 2 of run_the_con, for the prompt "Bollinger".

The street outside the Burke's townhouse had never seen such traffic before.  News vans had already started converging outside, the news of an FBI agent killing a US senator too good to pass up.  A team of agents was busy setting up a perimeter around the house.  Neal had slipped over the backyard fence in order to avoid them all.  He rapped on the back door, and after a moment Elizabeth appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Neal."  
  
For a moment he stood silent, unsure of his welcome.  "Elizabeth."  
  
"Come in."  She moved aside to allow him in.  She was dressed as elegantly as Elizabeth usually was, and Neal remembered Peter had said something about a promised dinner.  It cut through his heart.  
  
"Look, I don't have a lot of time.  The Feds are going to be out for me soon."  Neal produced a bottle of champagne.  "This is for Peter.  For once he's released."  He had popped such a bottle when Peter had come back to the White Collar division.  He wasn't sure he'll be there next time around.  
  
"What?!" Elizabeth hadn't expected that.  
  
Seeing that she didn't make a move to accept the bottle, Neal put it down on the counter.  "I'm going to find James, and whatever it takes, I'm going to make him confess.  And if not, I'll confess myself.  I-"  
  
"Neal-"  
  
Neal didn't let her interrupt.  "No, I've made too many mistakes in my life, too many people have already gotten hurt.  You were right, what you said at the hospital-"  
  
"Neal, stop." Elizabeth held up a hand to stop the rush of words.  "Look, I don't know how this happened, and right now, I don't care.  I want my husband back."  
  
"And that's what I'm going to do."  
  
"By doing something stupid?"  
  
The question caught Neal unawares.  "Peter sacrificed everything for me. Now it's my turn.  I'm not going to let James ruin his life."  
  
Elizabeth's eyes turned red, and she swallowed back the tears.  "What Peter needs right now is for you, for both of us, to think clearly."  
  
"I've never thought as clearly before," Neal answered back in earnest.  
  
"Neal, listen to me.  The FBI are going to find James."  Neal opened his mouth to protest, but she shook her head.  "No. They are going to find James.  The last thing Peter needs now is for you to go rogue."  
  
Neal shook his head.  "I'm not going to let Peter take the blame for Pratt's murder."  
  
"I know."  
  
The response caused Neal to pause.  "So what do you want me to do?"  
  
"Sit down.  And let's make a plan."


End file.
